Our View: Oakdale’s Measure Y raises sales tax

If the city of Oakdale is going to dig its way out from under some poor spending decisions made before the Great Recession, voters must pass Measure Y. The Bee supports the extension of Oakdale’s half-cent sales tax; we hope voters agree.

But that doesn’t mean we like using sales taxes to fund normal functions of cities – paying salaries, funding retirements, etc. As we point out in our companion editorial, we would prefer elected leaders find other ways to fund services and pay for priorities.

Here’s what Oakdale residents must consider as they weigh Measure Y:

Even as they weigh the issues, Oakdale voters must recognize that as their city grows it will change. Some of what they love about it will disappear, and some things they might not like (no grocery stores on the west side of town, for instance) will improve. But without this tax, most of those changes will be for the worse.

This story was originally published September 13, 2014 at 10:38 PM with the headline "Our View: Oakdale’s Measure Y raises sales tax."